Magnetic toy



P- KINNEY MAGNETIC Toy Filed June 6, 1949 MmmmuHm I IWHHMHHHMM.

ll/I/Il/IIIII Inventor Robert P, i y

Patented Dec. 3Q, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETIC TOY RobertP. Kinney, Richmond, Va., assignor of ten per cent to Judson S. Kinney,Appomattox, Va.

Application June 6, 1949, Serial No. 97,355

" 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in toys andmore particularly toa magnetically operated animated figure toy.

An important object of the invention is to provide a toy figure having apermanent magnet and a platform or stage forming one pole of anelectromagnet controlled by a double throw switch to either attract Orrepel the poles of the permanent magnet of the figure when placed on theplatform to caus the animation of the figure in a predetermined manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy capable of numerousembodiments in shape and action to afford amusement according to thetaste of the individual.

A further object is to provide a toy of simple and practicalconstruction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposesfor which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to th accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 3-3of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of one ofthe toy figures, and

Figure 5 is a diagram of the electric circuit for the electromagnet.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose ofillustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention,the numeral 5 designates a hollow box of suitable material of which thetop 6 is of magnetic material and forms one of the poles of anelectromagnet l positioned in the box and is suitably insulated from theother pole.

A double pole, double throw, knife-type switch 8 is pivoted at its innerend to a bracket 9 in the housing and with the outer end of the switchprovided with a handle l0 projecting outwardly through a horizontal slotH in one sid of the box.

The blades of the switch engage pairs of resilient contacts l2 and l 3upon an opposite swingr 2 nected to a house circuit is provided with arectifier M. 7

An animated toy figure, such as an acrobat IS, a horse I6, or a walkingor dancing figure I1, is provided with one or more permanent magnets I3,I 9 and 20 respectively, the magnet in the acrobatic figure [5 extendingthrough the legs, body and raised arms to position one pole of themagnet in the feet and the other pole of the magnet in the hands. In thetoy horse l6 permanent magnets are positioned vertically in united frontand rear legs, with the poles of the magnet in the front legs reversedfrom the poles of the magnet in the rear legs. In the walking or dancingfigure I! each leg is provided with a vertical permanent magnetpositioned with their poles reversed.

The rear legs of th horse may be pivoted to the body thereof as shown at2| or the horse may be constructed with rigidly connected front and rearlegs having a horseshoe typ magnet therein (not shown).

In the operation of the device, in a static condition the figures willbe attracted to the top of box or stag 6 with equal force by either oftheir two poles, but when current flows through the windings ofelectromagnet I, one pole of the permanent magnets in the individualfigures will be attracted while the other will be repelled. Whendirection of current flow in the electromagnet is reversed by switch 8,the opposite poles will be attracted and repelled to thus move the toyfigures.

The motion of toy acrobat [5 will simulate handsprings when its polesare alternately attracted and repelled. The toy hors 16 will first raisethe front legs and then the rear legs as its poles are alternatelyattracted and repelled, and the walking or dancing figure I! will.likewise raise first one foot and then the other.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of thinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A toy comprising a housing including a magnetic top, an electromagnetin said housing with said top forming one pole thereof, a switch in saidhousing electrically connected to said electromagnet to alternatelyreverse the polarity thereof and cause said top to alternately form partof the opposite poles of the electromagnet, and a plurality of uprightstanding toy figures on said top having permanent bar magnet embeddedtherein coplanar therewith with opposite poles extending to diiferentterminal parts of the figures and the poles thereof reversed relative tothe poles of said electromagnet so that alternately reversing the polesof the electroma net Will cause the top to alternately attract oppositepoles of said bar magnets and said different parts of said figures tocause said figures to stand on said different parts alternately.

2. A toy comprising a housingiincludingamagnetic top, an electromagnetin the housing with said top forming one pole thereof, a switch in saidhousing electrically connected to said electromagnet "to alternatelyreverse the polarity thereof and cause said top to alternately form partof the opposite poles of said -electromagnet, an upright standing toyfigure on said top having .4 a pair of legs for supporting the same instanding position, and a pair of permanent bar magnets in said legsextending longitudinally thereof with the poles oppositely arranged inone leg relative to the other leg and oppositely arranged relative tothe poles of said electromagnet, so that alternately reversing thepolarity of said electromagnet will cause said top to attract oppositepoles of said bar magnets alternately and cause said figure to standlo'nits pair of legs altemately.

ROBERT P. KINNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file -ofthis patient:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

